June
1992

Santa Barbara city gets $90,000 from state Bicycle Lane Account
by Ralph Fertig

• Doug Pike, Supervising Civil Engineer, recently announced that Santa Barbara city has received partial funding for completion of the missing Shoreline Park segment in the Shoreline Drive bicycle lane. For years, the bike lanes in both directions suddenly disappear along Shoreline Park on the Mesa near City College. This dangerous situation is pushing bicyclists into the traffic lanes.
• The Bicycle Lane Account, explained Pike at a recent Bicycle Coalition meeting, is funded by California and is managed by Caltrans. It consists of $530,000 annually and this current fiscal year it was split among six proposals, Santa Barbara's included.
• The Shoreline Park project will cost an estimated $220,000. The rest of the funding will come from the city, and construction is expected to be done in the Summer of 1993. It is especially expensive because existing storm drains must be moved and new bus pockets will be included. The new bicycle lanes will be five feet wide.
• The Bicycle Lane Account may be increased in future years if Senator Lucy Killea's current bill is passed. The bill calls for $2.4 million in annual appropriations. See the story below about what you can do to help the bill pass. In the meantime, congratulations to the city on winning funding for us all.

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State bill proposes increased bicycle funding

• State Senator Lucy Killea's bicycle bill (SB1141) has been weakened recently in committee, but still retains several features worthwhile fighting for.
• If passed, the bill would increase the Bicycle Lane Account to $2.4 million annually, require a biannual report on state non-motorized transportation, and produce a state bicycling map. According to Tom Higgins, an assistant to Senator Killea, the bill is currently in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, and probably will be held there until momentum for its passage increases.
• What will help greatly, said Higgins, are letters from bicyclists and bicycling organizations expressing support for the bill. The letters should be addressed to:
• Senator Lucy Killea
  State Capitol
  Sacramento, CA 95814.
• And even more important, copies should be sent to our state senators and representatives who will be voting on the bill.
• Since we are benefiting from a Bicycle Lane Account grant this year, more funding would mean more lanes for all bicyclists.

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Bicycling is featured subject of Metro

• Santa Barbara's new newspaper, the Santa Barbara Metro, featured bicycling in the recent May 21-27 issue. On the cover was a drawing of some pretty outrageous mountain bicyclists and the headline, "Today we ride."
• Inside were articles by Sara Munro, Sierra Alvis, and Maja Radevich. They included subjects like local mountain trails, Les Drake's upcoming competition in the Race Across America, the Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers, four local bicycling events, a UCSB bicycle program, and the Santa Barbara Unknown Bikers Club. The last club, by the way, is for mellow cyclists who want to ride with others at leisurely hours and paces. Imagine!
• Les Drake, a member of the Bicycle Coalition, talked about his entry into the RAAM (Race Across America), a 3000 mile non-stop bicycle race this July. Les is one of only 79 bicyclists to have finished the RAAM since it was founded 10 years ago, and the only local finisher.
• Currently, Les is trying to obtain sponsorship for the estimated $10,000 expense of the RAAM. It includes support crew, bicycles and spares, pace vehicles, and return from Savannah, Georgia where the race ends. If you have any suggestions, phone Les at 684-2080.
• Another Coalition member, Steve Silva, described the activities of the Mountain Bike Trail Volunteers. The intent of the group is to establish legitimate trail access for mountain bicyclists, and to advocate a responsible trail ethic.
• An upcoming Upper Oso trail maintenance day is coming up this June 14. The volunteers work with the cooperation of the Forest Service. Call Steve at 683-0371 for details.
• Bicycling articles in Metro will be a regular feature, according to Sara Munro. We congratulate them, and look forward to future coverage.

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Proposition 116 update

• April Quick Release described the $462,000 Proposition 116 fund bicycling improvement award that Santa Barbara County won from Caltrans.
• In an update, Marty Wilder, the Public Works Department contact for the award, reports that the money allocated for topcoating and lighting the Atascadero bike path will cover most, but not all, of the distance from Modoc Road in Santa Barbara toward Goleta Beach. Marty hopes that next fiscal year's award to finish the job will be approved this coming Winter.
• Marty is currently looking for locations to put bicycle lockers in downtown Santa Barbara. If any of you have suggestions about locations, or have had experience with any lockers themselves, contact him at 568-3087. In addition, if you know of any dangerous road grates that swallow bike tires, contact Marty too, as funds are available for replacing them.

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Earthling Bookstore offers window space

• The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition has obtained use of the display window at Earthling Bookstore on State Street in Santa Barbara.
• Ellen Malloy at Earthling gave us July 5-11 to fill the 3x12 foot space with bicycling material and a sample of their books. We are open to suggestions. A bicycle itself seems obvious, but what else? Contact Ralph Fertig or Tricia Davis, or come to the June 3 meeting.

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News-Press letter complains about motorist courtesy in Santa Barbara

• The following letter to the editor was published in the Santa Barbara News-Press on May 12, 1992:
• Motorists could use courtesy lesson, too
  by David Hobson, Santa Barbara
• The letter writer (May 1) who attacked ignorant, "loutish" bicyclists did make some valid points, yet I must say that the motorists of Santa Barbara could use a lesson in manners as well.
• In my 13 years of bicycling in Santa Barbara, I have been verbally assaulted, harassed, and have had rocks thrown at me while I have been riding.
• Motorists have blared their horns at me for yielding them the right of way, and I have had other motorists flip me the "one finger salute" for no reason whatsoever.
• I am a law-abiding, helmet-wearing cyclist, yet many motorists show no respect for my right to the roads or my personal well-being.
• This was no more clearly demonstrated than during last February. I was riding down State Street one rainy day only to have a car race me to an intersection, then make a right turn (without signaling) just a few feet in front of me—I came within inches of flying over the trunk of the car.
• I realize full well that there is a contingent of lawless, renegade cyclists on the streets of Santa Barbara, but there is an even larger group of motorists that shows cyclists no respect or consideration at all.
• It takes two to make a problem, but motorists are doing more than their share of troublemaking.

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Gas-powered bikes?

• The following appeared in the June 1992 issue of Bicycling magazine, and provides an example of how the bicycle can help us save utility costs:
• "Meter readers employed by California's Pacific Gas and Electric Co. are using mountain bikes to cover routes in Chico, San Jose, Quincy, Oroville, and other cities.
• Although the bikes aren't used in inclement weather, PG&E estimates that each cycling meter reader saves $1,500 a year, as opposed to using a motor vehicle.
• Rob Hanford, a 44-year-old Bicycling reader who pioneered PG&E's bike program, says that cycling cuts 45 minutes off his daily route time. The company likes the fitness benefits for its employees and the energy-saving image it presents to customers."

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Upcoming election
by Ralph Fertig

• This June 2, there will be 11 candidates running for three positions on the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. On the behalf of the Bicycle Coalition, I sent personal letters, questionnaires, and two recent copies of Quick Release to all 11 candidates. There were two reasons for doing this: to make them aware that voting bicyclists are watching their actions that will effect us, and to provide the bicycling community with information about the candidates' thoughts on bicycling issues.
• There was regrettably less than a week for them to fax or mail a response, so it was no great surprise that only one candidate managed to send back a reply. It came from Seh Welch, running for the First District position. At least we know that she considers a bicycling constituency important enough to respond to.
• The Santa Barbara Bicycle Coalition is publishing the following entire text of Seh Welch's response as a public service to those concerned with our bicycling conditions. Be sure to vote in the election.
• SBBC: Would you encourage single-driver car commuters to become bicycle commuters, and if so, how would you do it?
• Welch: Yes! Involve the Chamber of Commerce and encourage their members to provide incentives to their employees. Start a ride share program, administered through the Parks Department.
• SBBC: Should the County encourage increased bicycle commuting if it entails the removal of some existing on-street parking, or turning some streets into one-way streets and removing a car lane?
• Welch: Yes! The Westside has Bath and Castillo Streets. The Eastside also needs a bike lane in each direction.
• SBBC: Should bicycling safety education programs in county schools be improved, and if so, how would you improve them?
• Welch: Bicycle education should be improved by: (1) Providing educational material to schools. (2) Volunteers from local bicycle clubs going into classrooms to demonstrate safety clothing, helmets and safe riding habits.
• SBBC: What can the County do to further combat increasing bicycle theft? Welch: (1) Start a countywide registration program. (2) Provide more bicycle racks downtown and in front of businesses. (3) Inform the public through the press and other media, how prevalent bike theft is in Santa Barbara and how to stop it; lock your bike.
• SBBC: How do you think that current conflicts between mountain bicyclists, hikers, and equestrians should be resolved in off-road situations?
• Welch: (1) Signs should be posted at trail heads stating they are multi-use trails and each group should use common courtesy. (2) Encourage trail work days by all three groups and users of the trails to maintain and improve relations.
• SBBC: Should the County have its own bicycle transportation coordinator? Welch: Yes. At least half time.